Business leader of the year finalist 2013: Leanne Graham

GeoOP chief executive Leanne Graham led the software company through a big year of expansion in 2013.

The Auckland firm - whose cloud-based technology allows small to medium-sized service businesses' mobile workers to electronically carry out tasks such as invoicing, staff scheduling and job dispatch - listed on the NZAX at $1 a share in October. GeoOP shares closed at $1.95 last night.

Graham, a former country manager for online accounting software provider Xero, joined GeoOP in January after her investment firm, Cloud Rainmakers, invested $500,000 in it.

Since then staff numbers have grown from six to 34 and Graham hopes to increase that to 50 or 60 by mid-2014.